The Eduard 109s are some of my favorite kits and sometimes I like to go 'whole hog' on them. Whether it is for a diorama or just to show off the detail the Brassin sets are impressive for the detail, but on the downside they are a little expensive. I think they are worth the price but if you are going to use a bunch of different sets you may want to invest in the Big Sin sets. They contain multiple Brassin and photo etch parts for a reduced price.

This set is designed for the Bf-109F and includes the Brassin Engine and guns, control surfaces and landing flaps. This set has all the highly visible things to add to your kit.

The engine contains a nearly complete engine. It does not have detail on the bottom side which is no big deal as the kit doesn't allow it to be seen. There are 46 resin pieces along with a fret of photo etch and decals. The detail is impressive to say the least. The resin is light grey with no blemishes. The small fret features beautiful detail. The decal sheet features white lettering so you can add the serial number on the side.

This set is let down slightly by the instructions. There are some sequence issues. First off, the decals are shown AFTER the final instruction don't forget to add them BEFORE you add the engine bearers. The other HUGE thing is that Step 23 has you add the engine and gun mount AFTER the fuselage halves have been joined. DON'T DO THAT. Add the assembly BEFORE you join the fuselage halves in Step 21. If you don't there is no physical way to add it after they are joined. Trust me I tried. R53 and R54 are identified improperly in the instructions. They are reversed. In Step 3, add R54. In Step 6 add R53. The instructions also don't mention that the front panel around the prop needs to be thinned out to allow the parts to be added. I also drilled out my air intakes so that when you look in it you can see all the way through like the real thing.

The engine will require you to add different sized solder but if you follow the instructions it all works great. The fit is beautiful. You will need .3mm, .4mm, .5mm and .6mm solder and .4mm wire to support the cowlings.

The next set is control surfaces. This set has seven light grey resin pieces and a fret of photo etch. The control surfaces are realistically cast with the appropriate stitching. The aileron mass weights are beautifully done. They have positive attachment points. The photo etch parts are for the trim tabs. The trim tabs are required to be added to the ailerons but you get the option on the elevator and rudder. The resin is very thin on those surfaces so it really is up to you. The thing about this set is that you can articulate the flight controls, don't forget to offset the stick, to give your model a different opinion.

The final set is the landing flaps. The inner and outer flaps are included. The F model has a unique inboard flap setup. The F model had a barrier layer on the upper flap. This is done perfectly with the photo etch parts included in the set. The set includes six light grey resin that is perfectly formed. Care must be taken when removing the flaps so as not remove the mounting tabs. After that adding it is easy.

With the flight controls and the flaps I did need to shorten the ailerons slightly to allow them to fit perfectly with the flaps. Nothing drastic just a couple of swipes with a sanding stick.

These sets are beautiful and will add visual interest to the kit. These sets are all easily seen when the model is on the display shelf or in the diorama. Now the real deal is the pricing on these sets. If you were to buy them separately they would cost you $65.85, but when purchased in the Big Sin set they only cost $46.95. That saves you $18.90. That to me is a big deal. That is like getting the flaps and half of the flight controls for free. Barring the little things I noted in the engine instructions, the rest of the set is perfect. I think this is a great set and would recommend it to anyone who wants to add life to their kit, but it is not for the beginner. The engine, flight controls and flaps are quite visible so this is a valuable set.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Eduard and IPMS/USA for the review copy. You can obtain yours by contacting directly from Eduard at www.eduard.com or at your local hobby shop or online retailer.